If you can get it on YouTube, that’d be great. I can link and readers can listen.

Floyd Hamberlin replies:

I will have it done by Monday.

Daddy B. Nice notes:

And that's the way it often happens behind the scenes. One of the legendary writer/producers in southern soul music (Nellie "Tiger" Travis's "If I Back It Up," Artie "Blues Boy" White's "I Can't Afford To Be Broke," etc.), Floyd Hamberlin composed and produced the original "Mississippi Boy" sung by Will T., later recorded by Charles Wilson and still later covered by Denise LaSalle and Sir Charles Jones among others. Scroll down this column to read more on "Mississippi Boy" and its complicated and still unfolding history.

I'm stumped, Ashley. Sorry, but I'll post your query on the Mailbag page and see if anyone else has heard of it.

Ashley replies:

It’s okay I been asking a lot of people and they don’t know who sings it. I do have a little of the song I recorded it one day and when my neighbor was playing it but he forgot who sings it too and the name of the song.

I am sending this email because I have older parents who don’t use modern technology.

...My stepfather is looking for Bishop Bro Winkels song hell naw...on CD for his car. Can you tell me where I can purchase him this CD. I live in Memphis, Tn

Thank you
Margo

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Margo, I will post your e-mail on the Mailbag page, and right below it, you'll see a letter that came in just a week before yours, explaining where on the Internet you can download Bishop Bullwinkle's hit song. Hopefully, you can find some way to download it and burn it onto a CDR for your parents. This is the first opportunity to get Bishop Bullwinkle's music in the two years since "Hell Naw To The Naw Naw" came out.

I just went on your website and saw that Denise LaSalle passed away. I am so sorry to read the news. She was a very talented lady and I enjoyed listening to her songs in the few years since I've discovered Southern Soul Blues. I am sorry for the loss for her friends and family and for the fans.

I wanted to let you know that Bishop Bullwinkle has 3 songs on Spotify that I was alerted to via my "Release Radar" feature. These new releases post every Friday. The song that posted to my radar was "Hell to da Naw". The version is the one that is on You Tube with the bike. The song has already has 12,065 plays since being released yesterday. That won't get it viral, but that is pretty good. I also checked Google Play (available for 99 cents but if you have a subscription with them you can stream for free) and on Amazon (also for 99 cents but can stream for free with Amazon Prime).

Even though I can stream for free on Spotify and Amazon Prime I am going to show some love by buying the mp3.

Please spread the word since I know you love the song and so do I and a lot of others.

Christina Dodson

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Thanks so much, Christina. That is great news for Bishop Bullwinkle fans who have repeatedly requested where to buy his music over the last couple of years. The "bicycle" version of "Hell Naw" isn't quite as good as the original "Hell Naw To The Naw Naw" with Bigg Robb's instrumental track, but I'm not going to quibble or even go there, given the copyright implications.

Christina replies:

I am also guessing that it's on iTunes but haven't checked since I don't use that. I have read all of the issues regarding the copyright on your website. I wish they they could be resolved because the original does sound better.

Denise LaSalle (1939-2018)

. . . Denise LaSalle passed away last night. She'd been in a rehab facility in Milan, Tennessee, near Jackson, when she fell ill and was rushed to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. She died at about 10:30 PM. I had visited her in Milan just last weekend (New Year's Eve weekend), and she was doing really well -- we hung out, talked, had some dinner together in her room; she seemed to be strong, in good spirits, and looking toward the future. She called me on Saturday and still sounded fine; the last words we said to each other were, "I love you."

I'm looking to purchase the CD with Dark Side-Mississippi Hustling Mother on it..It's number 5 or 6 on the CD. I've been searching for this song every since it first come out...Can you please tell me how can I purchase it...

Thanks in advance,

Ms. Flo Richardson

And...subsequently:

Daddy B. Nice,

Looking to by the CD with Dark Side on it singing "Mississippi Hustling Mother"...Been searching for this song for a while...

Thanks in advance,

Ms. Flo Richardson

Daddy B. Nice responds:

Me too, Ms. Flo. Been searching "for awhile," or what the millenials call "a minute". Why, just a couple of months ago ((October '17 Top 10 Singles), I wrote:

"Powerful Claytie Bonds sings like the super-heroine who recorded the poem/rant "Mississippi Hustling Mother"."

Listening to this will probably make you even more frustrated. I was secretly hoping Claytie Bonds would turn out to be the singer/testifier of "Mississippi Hustling Mother," but evidently not, and I mention it only to show you how I'm also constantly searching for Dark Side's "Mississippi Hustling Mother"--without success. I've received queries on this before, but I'm going to post it again, and if any readers can help, that'd be great.

Oh My Goodness!!!!! The review you gave me left me in tears!!!! This is truly the blessing I did not see coming. Along with winning Best New Artist at the ABT Awards Show. There I had the pleasure of honoring Big Cynthia in her Tribute!!! This year has been full of surprises that has me on the edge of my seat for 2018. Here are two birthday shows I can't wait to cut up for and I am shooting my video for my upcoming single trust me it is going to have the dance floor packed. You know I can't wait to send it over. Anywho thank you once again and keep up the positive work!!! It it is definitely making a difference to me!!!!

Last night I read your comments… and yes, all that you wrote is so correct…”YouTube” and social media are most definitely a way of life for a recording artist and is very much essential for survivor. Thank You for the “reality check” and I am working to get the situation under better control as quickly as possible. The elimination of the YouTube videos of my music that existed on the popular music channel took place that you posted were removed/taken down kind of beyond my control by the person who originally posted it on YouTube, which was not me. Of course, that is no excuse because it is still solely my responsibility to ensure my fans and my extraordinary supporters can have accessibility and know where by music is located at all time. I have 17 YouTube videos available on YouTube that can be seen, but I am working to do a better job at making sure they are all located in a certain location and make it known to all that website address. As always, I once again, humbly “Thank You” so very much for sharing light on how important it is to stay in the (fast lane of today’s life)…and thank you so very much for calling this to my attention; we will make it our top priority to always be on and stay on top.

In your personal note…which you are totally right on the “spot” and that is why you are our awesome “DADDY B NICE”…because you always tell it like it suppose to be told.

Below are the 2 of the 17 YouTube videos that are available on YouTube, but I apologize and please forgive me for not keeping you in the loop when I added those sites:

Of course, I don’t have my new CD “Our Love Slipped Away” on YouTube yet, but will assure you…I am working as I speak to get that done as quickly as possible.

Daddy B. Nice…please always know that there are the great ones such as “YOURSELF- Daddy B Nice” and some other great ones who comes a long and throws out a “life jacket”, which I will always be so grateful because with you guys…there would be no LGB!!! I personally ….Thank….God all through the day for the beacon lights that he has allowed & allows to guide me and the others recording artists to share!!! Thank You “DADDY B NICE”…for all you do for others, the music and the recording artists, too!!!

You're right, Arleena. It's Mystery Lady. And why BluesWoman01 inserted Peggy Scott-Adams' picture with the music is a "mystery" in itself. With 700,000 views, that's sowing a lot of confusion about a song where she accurately identified the artist as Mystery Lady. People in the "Comments" section underneath the video who say it's Peggy Scott-Adams are well-intentioned but misinformed.

I had a buddy who's moved. He gave me a mixtape with a song with dirty lyrics but done in a kind of innocent way. Like he keeps saying, "Girl! What in the world are you talking about?" The song is "Hokey Pokey," I think. Do you know who does it.

Atlanta Vern

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Wow, Atlanta Vern! I do know that song. It was just e-mailed to me recently, and I like it, too. I miss the outrageous, funny, naughty songs that guys like Clarence Carter and Bobby Rush and Theodis Ealey used to shock people with. "Strong sexual overtones," you know? Recording artists nowadays are getting too tame and domesticated. The song is "Hokie Pokie" and it's by a Georgia artist--formerly a gospel singer (naturally, haha!)--named Arthur Roland. I hope he puts it on YouTube so we can share it with the fans.

I was very sorry to read about the angry letters you've been getting from Charles Wilson threatening to sue you because your site explains to readers that Will T originally recorded "Mississippi Boy."

Of course as you well know Charles does not have the slightest case, especially since even he admits that the facts are not in doubt. That being said I just wanted to send some words of encouragement and let you know how valuable your site remains for Southern soul fans and artists around the world. Please keep up the good work and ignore the haters (although I'm not even sure there's a need to use the plural). And thanks for turning me onto the original recording by Will T -- I agree that it has an earthy quality that makes it just as good if not better than Charles' hit version.

Just thought you'd like to know. Your artist guide to Charles Wilson is down.

Best,
Brian

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Dear Brian,

Since I don't promote myself in any way outside of the website, I really don't know if this "situation" has a life of its own on social media. The short answer to your question is that I have taken down both Daddy B. Nice Artist Guides to Charles Wilson because Charles has threatened to sue me for copyright infringement and defamation of character.

But if you'll bear with me, I'd like to give you a long answer with some background. It's pretty well-known among the 500,000 visitors to my website this year that I don't make any money off the artists I publicize. That's why, in spite of being a one-man-show, readers and artists alike respect my objectivity.

One of the most amusing aspects of the gig was that none of the white performers (white bluesman Charlie Musselwhite, for instance) knew me; all of the black performers--including the two rappers--did. So after the concert, I met and embraced with great happiness Stax/Wilbe southern soul-man William Bell, a reader of my website and occasional correspondent, whom I'd never met in person. Twenty years of knowing each other through word-of-mouth creates a lot of empathy.

But my greatest joy was meeting eighty-something Bobby Rush, the oldest guy there. I'd never heard from him in two decades, had no idea if he'd ever read anything I'd written about him, but when I went up to him and said, "Hey, Bobby, I'm Daddy B. Nice from Southern Soul," Bobby jumped up from his chair, exclaiming, "My buddy!" That made my day, if not week. We exchanged pleasantries and then I did something I'd written about as a joke on my ballot for last year's "Village Voice" album awards.

Bobby Rush is the only guy your Daddy B. Nice would fall to his knees in the “face Mecca” position and chant, “I am not worthy, I am not worthy,” even as he chattered utter nonsense.

Bear in mind, I wouldn't bow (or wouldn't have bowed) to B.B. King or any of the other greats. It's because Bobby Rush is so funny that I wanted to bow. I bowed to his ability to make me laugh. Bobby Rush is the Richard Pryor of southern soul.

So, on impulse, that's what I proceeded to do, surrounded by onlookers. I didn't actually fall to my knees on the floor, but I bowed twice real slow, long arms out-stretched, repeating "I am not worthy." It was hilarious. Bobby loved it, I loved it, and I floated away from the venue that night on a cloud of euphoria.

THAT was my reward, and that is the kind of reward I've been given countless times over the years. Sharing the laughs and the love--of the music, of humanity--with my fellow-travelers in southern souldom. And that is why something like my recent exchange with Charles Wilson hurts so deeply.

Awhile back, Charles Wilson asked me to call him—he had a favor to ask. Charles has asked me for favors and calls in the past, and I’ve always kept him at arm’s length. He’s never thanked me for the career publicity generated by my site. And I’ve always suspected that his requests for calls and favors had to do with my championing the Floyd Hamberlin-produced (Will T.-sung) version of “Mississippi Boy” over his version of “Mississippi Boy,” as happened to be the case this time.

Ironically, I guess, my adamant praise over the years for this little filler song from an obscure sampler has turned the tune into a behemoth so big it can enhance or deter musical careers. (I've had "attacks" from Will T's camp, too.) Over those years Charles has often tried to co-opt the song as his own, at times marketing himself as the “Mississippi Boy” and on at least one occasion taking down the Will T. version of “Mississippi Boy” on YouTube for copyright infringement, a questionable if possibly legitimate action due to the song first appearing on a Wilson Records sampler.

Everyone knows that I don’t accept money or quid pro quo’s with any of the artists on my site. I have never received any remuneration from an artist, nor for touting the original Will T. version of “Mississippi Boy”. It’s simply my opinion. I've always loved the rough, "one-take" ambience of the original. And if the song weren’t such a makeshift session by “anonymous” artists, I’d call it the #1 Song in contemporary southern soul.

As to the “facts” of the controversy, I have always taken great pains to get the facts straight. And when Charles Wilson recently asked me to “take down” unspecified portions of my “Mississippi Boy” commentary, I told him to send me specific passages and I’d review them.

I hold no ill will towards Charles, and I’m willing to review or revise any specific passages regarding Charles that are inaccurate, or even uncomplimentary, but I won't be the “whipping boy” for any dissatisfaction Charles has with his career due to decisions he made or did not make via “Mississippi Boy”. Nor will I continue to give free publicity and support to someone who is threatening to take me to court.

As some time has passed, I've tried to come up with a solution. There's no way I can take down an entire, legitimate artist guide--Daddy B. Nice's Artist Guide to Will T. How is that fair to Floyd Hamberlin or Will T.? And I don't want to eliminate any of the past postings on "Mississippi Boy," which is tantamount to wiping away the colorful history of the song.

Since threatening me at least twice with the statement, "There will be a law suit," Charles Wilson did send a somewhat conciliatory but confusing comment:

"All u have to do is google ms boy on you tube and your page will pop up...we don't care who say who sing what we just want my name taking out of it...it make the people think I stole something and it's been up long enough so what's the purpose...yes floyd wrote it and produce it and will t sanged it first...but the world wouldn't even know the song if I hadn't mailed it all over the world and I never would have touch the song as far as Sanging it...if will t would have came out and toured and supported the song...so enough is enough ...we want my name out of it...it's up to u what ever way u wanna handle this."

The first thing that gets my attention in this statement is Charles Wilson's apparent change of course regarding his "ownership" of "Mississippi Boy". Is Charles saying that he now wants to distance himself from the song? That he would rather wipe his hands of it?

I sense there may be a way out of this spat, and that would be doing a "news story" on Charles Wilson's re-alignment, if that's what it is, regarding "Mississippi Boy". Between us, we might be able to chisel out a story based on his insights that will clear the air once and for all on Charles Wilson and "Mississippi Boy".

I certainly have never disliked Charles' version of "Mississippi Boy". I have simply liked the original version better. I would like to see us--Charles, Will, Floyd, your DBN--get back to what makes this song covered by Sir Charles Jones, Denise LaSalle and so many others a genre touchstone.

"Mississippi Boy" and this music we call southern soul is about happiness. Happiness. Like being Bobby Rush's "buddy".

I must say, she's been taking this with incredible bravery: she's already talking about billing herself as "the One-Legged Diva"! Right now, though, we're all sending her our deepest and most heartfelt blessings and best wishes, and hoping for as speedy and painless a recovery as possible.

. . . has anyone noticed the striking similarity between the melodic/chord structure of Yayo's "Bedroom Rodeo" and Smokey Robinson's "Cruising"? If the Chiffons' publisher could get George Harrison for "My Sweet Lord," Smokey might have a case, as well . . .

David W.

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Wow. Good ear. Good memory, David. That is definitely the same melody line.

Nice reading your 5 star Nellie review! Amazing that it took about 4 years to get it out. When I interviewed Nellie March 2016 it wasn´t long. And in e-mails after that, it was always like “it won´t be long now”...

I was on your site looking at Pat Cooley's discography and biography which stated she begin singing with backup vocals in the late 70's. But there is a lady with the exact same name Patricia Cooley who sang a song called "You Got My Nose Wide Open" in 1964. I was wondering is this the same lady as Pat Cooley?

Louturtle

Daddy B. Nice replies:

That 1964 Patricia Cooley "You Got My Nose Wide Open" reference is obscure. I was in high school at the time and never heard of it. I'm curious to know if you can tell me anything else about it.

As to the likelihood that it's the same person as contemporary southern soul's Pat Cooley, I'd say, "No." That's not an iron-clad guarantee, but Pat Cooley is a relatively young woman who was probably in pigtails and an elementary school dress in 1964.

In the case of Lebrado, the first index takes you to the Lebrado Artist Guide, where you will find "Daddy B. Nice's Recommended Tracks" in the right-hand column of the page, and where you can link to specific songs and albums by Lebrado.

I love your website and all the wonderful information you provide. Keep up the good work! My reason for writing is I'm searching for Ms Jody!! I have loved her music since she started in 2006. She is truly one of a kind and I am dying to see her. Just once I want to see her perform. I live in Myrtle Beach, SC and see online where she has performed at events there and local clubs and bars several times. I would give anything to see Ms Jody sing. I just have no clue how to ever find her schedule for shows. I have come across flyers and posters on twitter that people share but never anything around here. Does she have anything around Myrtle Beach coming up? Can we get her here to perform? Any information would be great.

Thank you so much for your time!

Sincerely,

A HUGGGGE MS JODY FAN,
Cody

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Ms. Jody has a new album out: THUNDER UNDER YONDER, that you'll want to get. But even better, by pure coincidence, on the very day you wrote, I received some new and upcoming Ms. Jody tour dates.

I'm sure you've noticed that her first gig is in your home town, Myrtle Beach! So there you go. In the future, just consult Daddy B. Nice's Concert Calendar. If Ms. Jody has a show, it will be listed there.

I would like to buy the complete set of your Top 100 southern soul songs.

Zach

*********

DaddyNice

How do buy mp3's on the artists you write about.

Peaches

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Why can't people slow down enough to LOOK at the navigation bar--or in old-school terms, the table of contents? Aren't there over 500 pages on the site devoted to southern soul artists, all with links to CD's and mp3's for sale? And isn't everything I write full of links (the words show up in italics, with a different color) to the music sellers? And...to the music sellers via YouTube? Isn't there a CD Store? And on prominent display? And isn't there a Comprehensive Index? An index where you can find anybody and their music anywhere on the site?

Can you please inform me if you have the artist Lady J with her song titled "Same Old Bullshit?" I have searched high and low for this song with no success. Please tell me you have it in stock.

Thanks,
Latrece

Daddy B. Nice replies:

Now this is the kind of letter I'll respond to. It's specific. It's knowledgeable. And it denotes a real need, because Lady J's work is out of print and there is nowhere to buy it. And it's not even on YouTube.

So to make things right in the world, I'm going to do something I hardly ever, ever do, and send Latrece my copy of Lady J's "Same Old Bullshit."

Daddy B. Nice

Latrece replies:

Oh my God!! Thank you thank you thank you so much! I just can't thank you enough!! I'm happy and just in awe! You rock!!

When recalling the roots of soul music, most people are likely to name Memphis, Detroit, New Orleans, Muscle Shoals, or Macon. But Florida also has a rich soul music history-an important cultural legacy that has often gone unrecognized. Florida Soul celebrates great artists of the Sunshine State who produced some of the most electric, emotive soul music America has ever heard.

This book tells the story of Ray Charles's musical upbringing in Florida, where he wrote his first songs and made his first recordings. It highlights the careers of Pensacola singers James and Bobby Purify and their producer, Papa Don Schroeder. Florida Soul reveals how Hank Ballard created his international hit song "The Twist" after seeing the dance in Tampa and profiles Gainesville singer Linda Lyndell ("What a Man"). Miami's Overtown and Liberty City neighborhoods produced Sam Moore of the legendary duo Sam and Dave, Willie Clarke and Johnny Pearsall of Deep City Records, and singer Helene Smith. Miami was also the longtime headquarters of Henry Stone, whose influential company T.K. Productions put out hits by Timmy Thomas, Latimore, Betty Wright, and KC and the Sunshine Band. Stone's artists and distribution deals influenced charts and radio airplay across the world.

Born in the era of segregation with origins in gospel, rhythm and blues, and jazz and reaching maturity during the civil rights movement, soul music is still enjoyed today, still very much a part of our collective culture. John Capouya draws on extensive interviews with surviving musicians to re-create the excitement and honor the achievements of soul's golden age, establishing Florida as one of the great soul music capitals of the United States.

Vintage Florida soul trickles in countless tributaries through contemporary southern soul. The only shame from a southern soul perspective is that the title of the book isn't From Ray Charles to KC and the Sunshine Band to Latimore. John Capouya is associate professor of journalism and writing at the University of Tampa. His previous book, the biography "Gorgeous George: The Outrageous Bad-Boy Wrestler Who Created American Pop Culture," is being adapted into a feature film.

I would like to take this time to thank you for taking the time to review my cd,,. knowing that you have hundreds crossing your desk each day, so first thank you for that.

Moving right along.. I always told you when speaking about someone, if your opinion is what you really feel in your heart about a person or a thing, if that be the case, I don't see anything wrong with that. But I don't think It's cool to attack a persons character or work ethic if you don't know that person personally, because if you don't know that person personally, you wouldn't be able to make sound assessment of that person or the ability of that person from such a small window that you peeped through for such a short time...

So when I read your review I know you took those thing into consideration .. So thank you for your time and what I believe coming from you is your honest opinion regardless to the outcome ..and another thing about this quote

"In the past, a voice-over like the one that starts and intermittently emerges in "Sexy Lady (Remix)" would strike a false note, a flaw that might originate in the arrangement as much as in the words--it was hard to tell. The whistling in "Sexy Lady," for instance, might seem like a mis-step. But either I'm getting awfully used to The Willie or the whistling--simple and crude as it is--works to perfection, meaning I like hearing it again and again."

I think you are just getting use to El' Willie's style you figga dill me ?...

ATTENTION: DADDY B. NICE'S CONCERT CALENDAR IS THE MOST PIRATED PAGE IN THE SOUTHERN SOUL MEDIA. THIS FEATURE REQUIRES PAINSTAKING WORK AND RESEARCH AND HOURS OF TIME TO COMPILE. DO NOT COPY THIS CONCERT CALENDAR WITHOUT READING THE FOLLOWING:

January began without holiday hangover, as up-and-coming producer Big Yayo debuted as a performer with a piece of "southern soul electronica" called "Cowgirl" featuring his protege, "I Got This Record's" J'Wonn, the ultimate balladeer, singing an uptempo chorus on his first-ever club jam.

Mindful of the concert bonanza, Daddy B. Nice urged fans in March to get out of the airport hubs (Memphis, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans) and "walk on the wild side," visiting the "holes-in-the-walls" in the verdant countryside where the true contemporary blues reigns supreme. In Jackson, premier nineties' vocalist Robert "The Duke" Tillman (Ace, Ichiban) re-emerged, as did storied DJ Outlaw at WMPR, while young Jackson guitar-blues stars Jarekus Singleton, Grady Champion and Mr. Sipp parlayed their mass audience-friendly blues far beyond the Delta.

April saw the breakthrough collection THE LOUISIANA BLUES BROTHERS, explode in the southern soul demographic via its suddenly iconic single,
"My Sidepiece," featuring the powerful-piped, Reggie P.-like vocalist Pokey (or Big Pokey Bear), whose electric stage show featured the singer thrusting and gyrating with a passion not seen since Bobby Rush's twerking dancers.

The song's message that it was okay to have a "woman on the side" because it's in the "genes" alternately fascinated and disgusted listeners, and not always along gender lines, and the "sidepiece" theme became a motif in countless new southern soul songs. Meanwhile, Pokey et. al.'s new album, BEAT FLIPPA I GOT THE BLUES VOL. 1., released in February, shot up the charts, bringing a rock-and-roll-like energy, immediacy and accessibility to the southern soul scene that thrust its brilliant producer (Beat Flippa) and roster of talented artists (Pokey, Tyree Neal, Adrian Bagher, Vince Hutchinson, Mz. Pat, Veronica Ra'elle, Rosalyn Candy, etc.) into a level of popularity even southern soul's veteran artists had to envy.

Also in April, the great sixties' artist Percy Sledge, who recorded one of the most powerful southern soul songs of the last fifty years, "When A Man Loves A Woman," passed away with scant fanfare.

May was the worst month, the cruelest month...

....Mother's Day and Memorial Day weekends witnessed another slew of record-breaking fan-friendly southern soul concerts, but the nation and entire world mourned the passing of B.B. King, whose ties to Indianola and Jackson, Mississippi were real and renewed each summer, when B.B. always returned for the Medgar Evers Homecoming Celebration and played for his original chitlin' circuit fans in the Delta.

But for contemporary southern soul fans it was the passing of song-master Mel Waiters that really hurt. Unknown outside of blues circles (unlike the world-famous B.B. King), Waiters was an irreplaceable part of the southern soul pantheon of recording artists, having largely kicked off the contemporary scene with his "Hole In The Wall," fashioned in the late nineties in the tradition of Mel's inspirations, Z.Z. Hill and Buddy Ace. For many fans, Waiters was the number-one performer in the South, and Mel never shied away from the kudos. YouTube videos document his exciting "contests" with Sir Charles Jones, which did so much to enliven the concert scene.

June marked the appearance of a rapping preacher named Bishop Bullwinkle, whose "Hell Naw To The Naw Naw" continued a trend of unknown artists (like J'Wonn, Tucka, Pokey) eclipsing southern soul's veteran artists in notoriety-slash-popularity in one fell swoop (be it a single or album). Whereas J'Wonn had stunned the southern soul community a couple of years earlier with his straight-forward youth and sensitivity, the nearly seventy-something Bishop Bullwinkle simultaneously astonished and dumbfounded fans with his fearless, back-woods vision of the world compressed into a six-minute, no-holds-barred sermon castigating hypocrisy in the church and gangsterism in the hood.

While J'Wonn had seemingly thrust the entire world off his back with the momentous words, "I Got This Record," the grizzled Bullwinkle did the same with his proclamation, "My name is Bishop Bullwinkle / From the church of nothing but the truth..."

....In less than a month his YouTube video (there was no published record) had a million views--unheard-of for a southern soul song--and by the end of the year it was approaching ten million. Clearly, Bullwinkle's "Hell To The Naw Naw" had cut through layers of padding and pretension to strike a deeply-felt, common nerve with fans.

In August Tucka and T.K. Soul sold out the 3,000-seat Houston Arena Theatre, notching a new high in audience numbers for a pair of southern soul acts.

2016 marked Southern Soul's most serious forays into the mainstream yet, and Bishop Bullwinkle was southern soul's "Donald Trump," refreshingly candid, wildly off-the-wall. At year's end, Bigg Robb took down Bullwinkle's video for copyright infringement. Turns out the Bishop had used the instrumental track from Robb's "Looking For A Country Girl" for the backing track to "Naw Naw," but Bishop Bullwinkle was uncontrite, telling Daddy B. Nice in a profanity-laced interview that he "dared" Robb to take him to court. As one industry insider noted, it didn't matter that the song hadn't been published (as a record); its online streaming revenues alone amounted to the same thing. And so it went in the raucous, wild-west-like cradle of the musical universe--the Deep South--where the music is as primeval and super-sized as the SEC. (And still unknown nationally...Go figure!) And as Jaye Hammer (one of 2015's finest vocalists) says in his juking new ode to the Delta, "I Ain't Leaving Mississippi." ....

"You know, someone came up to me the other day and said, 'Hammer! They told me you had moved to Chicago."

I said, "What? Man! People are always spreading rumors. But let me say this. I ain't leaving Mississippi. Mississippi is my home. If you think I'm gonna leave Mississippi, you might as well leave me alone."

The year did not begin auspiciously. Floyd Taylor, son of the late great Johnnie Taylor and a contemporary southern soul headliner in his own right, passed away on February 21st, causing his stepbrother TJ to remark, "He died pretty much the way my dad died: a heart attack (at too young an age)." A masterful and discerning vocal interpreter, Taylor's career was notable for spanning southern soul's two generations of songwriters, from the best of Charles Richard Cason and Lawrence Harper (of his father's generation) to Simeo Overall of the new.

A few days later Eddie Holloway, a lesser-known but seminal figure renowned for contemporary southern soul classics like "I Had A Good Time," "Poor Boy" and "My Mind's Too Strong," passed away in obscurity, without fanfare.

A young recording artist (Jeter Jones) trying to break into the southern soul market released an album whose instrumental tracks Daddy B. Nice--in a CD review--recognized as identical to certain Bobby Jones and Chuck Roberson songs of the recent past, setting off a firestorm of litigation between Desert Sounds CEO Charles Peterson and his former producer, Eric "Smidi" Smith.

Daddy B. Nice himself underwent a lung cancer scare and finally had surgery in May, returning successfully after two bouts in the hospital to discover that "Funky" Larry Jones, owner of the Soul & Blues Report, a monthly compendium and summary of southern soul deejay playlists and a vital niche in the southern soul internet community, had died. Other websites (Boogie, Blues Critic) made attempts to provide the same function, but at year's end the loss was still felt and seemed irrevocable.

That, along with the June death of Don Davis (the producing genius behind Johnnie Taylor) and the early-September passing of Joe Poonanny, the Weird Al Yankovich of the chitlin' circuit and the last of a dying breed of blues parodists, was the bad news.

The good news was that, stimulated by an invitation to Kim Cole's Celebrity Birthday Bash in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in July, your Daddy B. Nice rebounded to attend (and chronicle) three multi-act southern soul concerts in thirty hours, including getting out on the dance floor.

There was cause. Southern Soul stars were appearing everywhere across the Deep South, from Texas to the Carolinas. A month later, Southern Soul Labor Day concerts and associated sales would surpass a million, and the concerts continued to proliferate, populating weekends throughout the calendar that would have been few and far between ten years ago.

But what really uncorked the euphoria in 2014 was the return to recording of southern soul's younger-generation leading lights, Sir Charles Jones and T.K. Soul. After long absences (especially in Sir Charles' case), both performers produced sets of significant material with fresh yet authentic sounds, in T.K.'s case stripped-down, acoustic-dominated arrangements.

The two CD's, combined with the much-anticipated debut by J'Wonn (I GOT THIS RECORD) and the latest drop from O.B. Buchana, made it a banner year for male vocalists.

Women, not so much. For the second year in a row Denise LaSalle and Shirley Brown were sorely missed. Both appeared only rarely, and neither released new product. Ms. Jody and Nellie "Tiger" Travis were relatively quiet after big years in 2013. Sweet Angel reposed and, as expected, Peggy Scott-Adams (whose early partner, JoJo Benson, died just before Christmas) failed to follow up on her 2012 return to southern soul. Candi Staton and Uvee Hayes returned with new CD's, however.

Some of the major male stars--known for productivity--were also MIA in 2014. Mel Waiters, Theodis Ealey, Latimore and Bobby Rush produced little new studio work, and in pursuit of an elusive Grammy that even the late Johnnie Taylor and Tyrone Davis never won, Willie Clayton's new album disconcerted some longtime fans with its slide into atmospheric, Isley-style soul.

Young Grady Champion was the year's sensation (following fellow Jacksonian J'Wonn in 2013). Champion drew a cover story in "Living Blues" magazine after signing with Malaco Records for his new album BOOTLEG WHISKEY. Rare for a Delta artist, Champion drew national interest and crossover appeal.

Waiting in the wings, and getting no respect, was Chicago phenomenon Theo Huff, whose "It's A Good Thing I Met You" drew high praise (#5 for the year) from Daddy B. Nice for its approximation of--you guessed it--vintage Willie Clayton.

Lil' Jimmie's dance jam "She Was Twerkin'" was the underground sensation of the year, the subject of constant fan queries on where to buy--the answer was always, "Nowhere." Which reminded your Daddy B. Nice of an old Lil' Jimmie song called "I'm Not Going Nowhere," a song so full of double-negatives you're not sure what he means.

Tyree Neal, Pokey and Adrian Bagher formed a group called The Louisiana Blues Brothers.

Memphis-based Anita Love (Humphrey), former back-up singer for Sweet Angel, had an out-of-left-field smash with "Keep Knockin'", while Memphis-based songwriter John Cummings continued his transformation into a first-rate recording artist.

Vick Allen was in a stage play in Jackson, Mississippi, while singles ("Crazy Over You," "True To Me") continued to spit out of his going-on-three-year-old SOUL MUSIC album like candy from a child's Christmas wind-up toy.

Steve Perry of "Booty Roll" fame thought better of his name change to Prince Mekl and became good old Steve Perry again.

WAGR in Lexington, Mississippi and its colorful deejay, Big Money, became the exciting new southern soul station to stream on the Internet.

And last but not least, storied DJ Ragman returned in December to WMPR in Jackson, Mississippi--also on the Web--doling out southern soul music in the afternoons with his trademark, champagne-fizz optimism.

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